My remote control is with someone else but what about Nadda: Congress chief Kharge's counter to Modi
Belagavi, Mar 20: Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "remote control" jibe at him and the Congress, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday asked as to where was BJP chief J P Nadda's remote control.
Accusing the Modi-led BJP government of "troubling" party leader Rahul Gandhi for "speaking the truth", the Congress President said he doesn't fear such things and was ready for everything.
"Modi came to Belagavi and said - Kharge has become President (Congress), but remote control is with someone else. Okay, my remote control is with someone else, but where is Nadda's (BJP national President J P Nadda) remote control?" Kharge asked.
Addressing the 'Yuva Kranti Samavesha', a youth convention, organised by the party's state unit here, he said: "Nadda speaks under control of whose remote? There are lots of weak spots about you (BJP), for us (Congress) to speak about. You lack courage..."
Claiming that Kharge, who hails from the state, was insulted and disrespected by the Congress in favour of a "family", despite his seniority and age, PM Modi while addressing a public meet here on February 27 had said, "This shows Kharge is Congress President just for the sake of it, and looking at the way he is treated, everyone can see and understand, as to whose hands the remote control is in."
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, General Secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala, state unit chief D K Shivakumar, Legislature Party leader and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah among several leaders were part of the mega rally organised at CPED ground here.
Noting that Rahul Gandhi questioned the government in the Lok Sabha on the Adani-Hindenburg issue, the Congress chief alleged that (parts of) his speech was removed from records in Parliament. "Similarly, mine (Kharge's) was removed from records in Rajya Sabha."
"This is democracy... Is it wrong to say that democracy was not functioning properly in this country? To say there is still casteism in this country? You (BJP government) don't allow us to speak the truth, while you keep lying," he asserted.
"Your (BJP government's) ED, CBI or CVC cannot overpower us, we don't fear them. Rahul Gandhi has never feared and will never fear. He speaks the truth, and such a person is being troubled. Let them do it, will they jail him? We are ready for everything," he added.
Pointing out that during the course of the nationwide Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, Gandhi met farmers, youth, women, and every strata of the society, Kharge said: "Forty-six days after the speech made by Rahul Gandhi in Jammu and Kashmir about the problems shared by the people, Delhi Police came to his door seeking for proof regarding his statement on alleged rape or sexual harassment on a women, quoting her."
Despite the Karnataka contractors' association giving proof for their 40 per cent commission charge in the state, no action is being taken, Kharge claimed. "Modi and Shah (Amit Shah) should take action here and make an inquiry as the proof is already given here, then come to Rahul Gandhi."
This was Kharge's first visit to Belagavi after taking over as the Congress President.
He pointed out that Belagavi was a "sacred land" for Congress, as Mahatma Gandhi was elected as the party's President in the district in 1924, and Jawaharlal Nehru was appointed as the General Secretary.
Kharge, seeking the blessings of the people of the state for the upcoming assembly polls, asked the party leaders and workers to fight the polls with unity.
He also accused the BJP government in Karnataka of rampant corruption, and praised the KPCC's poll 'guarantees' including the unemployment allowance for the youth, which was announced today as the fourth 'guarantee', in the event of the party coming to power.
The party has already announced three poll 'guarantees' 200 units of free power to all households (Gruha Jyoti), Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi), and 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household (Anna Bhagya).
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
US President Donald Trump announces 27 percent reciprocal tariff on India
Washington/New Delhi (PTI): The US has announced 27 percent reciprocal tariffs on India saying New Delhi imposes high import duties on American goods, as the Donald Trump administration aims to reduce the country's trade deficit and boost manufacturing.
The move is expected to impact India's exports to the US. However, experts say that India is better-placed than its competitors who also face increased levies.
President Trump, in a historic measure to counter higher duties on American products imposed globally, announced reciprocal tariffs on about 60 countries.
"This is Liberation Day, a long-awaited moment. April 2, 2025 will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America's destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again. We are going to make it wealthy, good, and wealthy," Trump said in his remarks from the Rose Garden at the White House on Wednesday.
He said that the United States charges other countries only a 2.4 percent tariff on motorcycles, but Thailand and others are charging much higher rates, like 60 percent, India 70 percent, Vietnam 75 percent, and others charge even higher rates.
As he announced the tariffs, he held up a chart that showed the tariffs that countries such as India, China, the UK, and the European Union charge, along with the reciprocal tariffs that these countries will now have to pay.
The chart indicated that India charged 52 percent tariffs, including currency manipulation and trade barriers, and America would now charge India a discounted reciprocal tariff of 26 percent. But according to the White House documents, there will be a 27 percent duty on India.
"India, very, very tough. Very, very tough. The prime minister just left. He's a great friend of mine, but I said, you're a friend of mine, but you're not treating us right. They charge us 52 percent. You have to understand, we charge them almost nothing for years and years and decades, and it was only seven years ago, when I came in, that we started with China," Trump said.
Describing the tariffs as a "mixed bag and not a set back", an official in India said the commerce ministry is analysing the impact of 27 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US on India.
According to the official, the universal 10 percent tariffs will come into effect on all imports into the US from April 5 and from April 10, 27 per cent duty will come into play.
"The ministry is analysing the impact of the announced tariffs," the official said, adding there is a provision that if a country would address the concerns of the US, the Trump administration can consider reducing the duties against that nation.
India is already negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the US. The two countries are aiming to finalise the first phase of the pact by fall (September-October) of this year.
"It is a mixed bag and not a setback for India," the official said.
Exporters' body FIEO stated that the duties on India will undoubtedly affect domestic players but early conclusion of the trade agreement would provide relief from these tariffs.
"We have to assess the impact, but looking at the reciprocal tariffs imposed on other countries, we are in a lower band. We are much better placed compared to our key competitors such as Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, etc. We will definitely be affected by the tariffs, but we are much better placed than many others," Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai told PTI.
From 2021-22 to 2023-24, the US was India's largest trading partner. The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports, 6.22 per cent in imports, and 10.73 per cent in bilateral trade.
With America, India had a trade surplus (the difference between imports and exports) of USD 35.32 billion in goods in 2023-24. This was USD 27.7 billion in 2022-23, USD 32.85 billion in 2021-22, USD 22.73 billion in 2020-21, and USD 17.26 billion in 2019-20.
In 2024, India's main exports to the US included drug formulations and biologicals (USD 8.1 billion), telecom instruments (USD 6.5 billion), precious and semi-precious stones (USD 5.3 billion), petroleum products (USD 4.1 billion), gold and other precious metal jewellery (USD 3.2 billion), ready-made garments of cotton, including accessories (USD 2.8 billion), and products of iron and steel (USD 2.7 billion).
Imports included crude oil (USD 4.5 billion), petroleum products (USD 3.6 billion), coal, coke (USD 3.4 billion), cut and polished diamonds (USD 2.6 billion), electric machinery (USD 1.4 billion), aircraft, spacecraft and parts (USD 1.3 billion), and gold (USD 1.3 billion).
_vb_75.jpeg)
